Joseph

INTRODUCTION
The patriarch Joseph, son of Jacob, was a spiritual forerunner
of Jesus Christ (Yeshua the Messiah). His work was a 'living
blueprint' of the spiritual work of salvation the coming
Saviour was to accomplish for all mankind. In this
lesson we will examine a few of Joseph's qualities and experiences,
bearing in mind all the while that though the
lessons we learn could apply to any true follower of Yahweh, Joseph's
life was primarily a 'prophetic preview' of
the coming Saviour of the world!

1. JOSEPH THE DREAMER
Yahweh often speaks to His people through dreams (Joel
2:28, Heb 1:1, 1 Sam 28:15). Several Bible prophecies were given
that way. In Joseph's case the dreams came from an early
age and he was mockingly called by his brothers 'the dreamer.'

Gen.37:19

And they said one to another, Behold, this dreamer
cometh.

Though his brothers envied him, his father Jacob pondered over
the dreams Joseph related.

Gen. 37:5-11...

His brothers envied him; but his father
observed the saying.

Interpretation belongs to God
As he grew older, Joseph learned some very important lessons.
The first was that the ability to interpret dreams and prophecies
belongs to God alone; to the One who gave the dream in the first
place.

Gen. 40:8

And Joseph said unto them,( Pharaoh's butler
and baker) Do not interpretations belong to God?

Gen.41:6

And Joseph answered Pharaoh, saying, It is not
in me: God shall give Pharaoh an answer of peace.

The prophet Daniel mentions this same fact in Daniel 2:28 when he said to king Nebuchanezzar: 'there is
a God in heaven that revealeth secrets.'In other words,
the interpretation of a prophetic dream or prophecy can only
come from the Person who gave that dream or prophecy in the first
place. We Christians may struggle and strain endlessly to understand
Bible prophecy, but until the Almighty God of Abraham opens
our spiritual eyes to see, true understanding will never
come! This means that we should constantly pray the Psalmist's
prayer:

Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out
of thy law. (Psalm 119:18)

Shew me thy ways, O LORD; teach me thy paths.(Psalm 25:4)

2. JOSEPH'S EXPERIENCES
Here are some facts about Joseph:

Family life: Loved by his parents, hated by his brothers.

Slave/Servant: Sold into slavery by his brothers.

Prisoner: An innocent prisoner accused of rape!

Ruler: Rose to become the ruler of all Egypt.

Saviour: saved the lives of tens of thousands.

3. JOSEPH'S PERSONAL QUALITIES
Concerning Joseph's personal appearance and character we are told:Appearance: Gen.39:6 And Joseph was a goodly
person, and well favoured.
In other words, Joseph was an extremely good-looking man. Industry: And the keeper of the prison committed to
Joseph's hand all the prisoners that were in the prison; and whatsoever
they did there, he was the doer of it. (Gen. 39:22) Foresight: As far as we know the plan to store food for
the seven year famine was Joseph's plan.

Genesis 41:33

: Now therefore let Pharaoh look out a man
discreet and wise, and set him over the land of Egypt.
34:
Let Pharaoh do this, and let him appoint officers over the land,
and take up the fifth part of the land of Egypt in the seven plenteous
years. 35: And let them gather all the food of those good years
that come, and lay up corn under the hand of Pharaoh, and let
them keep food in the cities. 36: And that food shall be for store
to the land against the seven years of famine, which shall be
in the land of Egypt; that the land perish not through the famine.

When Pharaoh considered Joseph's astonishing proposal he said:

Gen. 41:38

Can we find such a one as this is, a man in whom
the Spirit of God is? 39: And Pharaoh said unto Joseph,
Forasmuch as God hath shewed thee all this, there is none
so discreet and wise as thou art:

Love & Emotion: Joseph held no grievances against
those who had harmed him. When, after 20 years of suffering, he
again met his brothers, who were instrumental in causing his suffering,
Joseph had no bitterness in his heart against them. He forgave
them freely; even before they asked forgiveness. Joseph was an
emotional man. Like Yeshua the Messiah we are told that he wept with emotion.

Gen. 43: 30

And Joseph made haste; for his bowels did yearn
upon his brother: (Benjamin) and he sought where to
weep; and he entered into his chamber, and wept there.

Gen. 45:1

Then Joseph could not refrain himself before all
them that stood by him; and he cried, Cause every man to go out
from me. And there stood no man with him, while Joseph made himself
known unto his brethren. 2: And he wept aloud: and the
Egyptians and the house of Pharaoh heard.

Gen:46:29

And Joseph made ready his chariot, and went up to
meet Israel his father, to Goshen, and presented himself unto
him; and he fell on his neck, and wept on his neck a good while

Joseph's heart was full of love and the 20 years of utter loneliness
burst from his eyes; he wept a good while.

4. JOSEPH'S MORAL STANDARDS
As far as sexual morality was concerned, ancient Egypt was much
like our present civilisation. Illicit sexual intercourse was
commonly practised. The sanctity of marriage mattered little and
the women of ancient Egypt were as bad as the men. Just as they
are today. Indeed, every great civilisation has been the same.
Sexual depravity, adultery, fornication, incest, rape, child-abuse,
violence and greed has characterised them all. The mighty civilisations
of Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece and Rome all glutted
themselves to death on illicit sex and violence. Our present
civilisation is the last in the line. It is exactly the same.
Men and women are obsessed with sex. The bookstores, the media,
the holiday brochures and the television are saturated with illicit
sexual overtones, insinuations and invitations. It was into that caldron of
sexual corruption that the captive Joseph was hurled.

Genesis 37:36

And the Midianites sold him into Egypt unto
Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh's, and captain of the guard.

Gen. 39:7

And it came to pass after these things, that his
master's wife cast her eyes upon Joseph; and she said, Lie
with me. 8: But he refused, and said unto his master's wife,
Behold, my master wotteth not what is with me in the house, and
he hath committed all that he hath to my hand; 9: There is none
greater in this house than I; neither hath he kept back any
thing from me but thee, because thou art his wife: how then can
I do this great wickedness, and sin against God? 10: And it
came to pass, as she spake to Joseph day by day, that he
hearkened not unto her, to lie by her, or to be with her.
11: And it came to pass about this time, that Joseph went into
the house to do his business; and there was none of the men of
the house there within. 12: And she caught him by his garment,
saying, Lie with me: and he left his garment in her hand,
and fled, and got him out.

The story is well known. Joseph refused to commit adultery,
to sin against God! I wonder how many men would have stood
up to such persistent and compelling temptation.

5. JOSEPH'S FRUITFULNESS
Joseph had just passed one of the greatest tests of his life.
He had placed the commandments of God above natural inclination
and passion and had refused to sleep with Potiphar's wife. Yahweh
noted Joseph's obedience and raised him to the highest rank in
Egypt, under the Pharaoh himself. It was in this post that Joseph
lived up to his name and became the Saviour of millions of
people. A mighty world-wide famine arose.

And the famine was over all the face of the earth
(Gen:41:56)

The grain Joseph provided went to all the surrounding countries.
No doubt, the fame of Joseph's God went with it; for had he not
said to his brothers:

Gen.45:7

And God sent me before you to preserve you a posterity in the
earth, and to save your lives by a great deliverance.

Joseph: A Blessing to All
Everyone who befriended Joseph was blessed.

Gen:39:5

And it came to pass from the time that he had made
him overseer in his house, and over all that he had, that the
LORD blessed the Egyptian's house for Joseph's sake; and
the blessing of the LORD was upon all that he had in the house,
and in the field.

6. JOSEPH'S FAITHJoseph believed in the resurrection. The oath he extracted
from the people of Israel is proof that he believed that their
stay in Egypt was temporary and that one day they would leave
Egypt for the country Yahweh had promised Abraham and his descendants.
Joseph believed God's promise and wanted to return with Israel to
the Promised Land; where he would rest in his grave till the ressurrection of the dead.

Gen. 50:24

And Joseph said unto his brethren, I die: and God
will surely visit you, and bring you out of this land unto the
land which he sware to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob. 25: And
Joseph took an oath of the children of Israel, saying, God
will surely visit you, and ye shall carry up my bones from hence.

Exo 13:19

And Moses took the bones of Joseph with him:
for he had straitly sworn the children of Israel, saying, God
will surely visit you; and ye shall carry up my bones away hence
with you.

The bones of Joseph, Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, Jacob and some other
Hebrews lie in the town of Hebron awaiting the resurrection.
That's faith for you! I, personally look forward to meeting these
people of whom I have read so much.

7. JOSEPH'S EXAMPLE
Few people in history compare with Joseph. There is nothing
recorded in the Scriptures against him. Everything he did was
without fault. He was a perfect physical and spiritual specimen.
He was a type of Messiah, a forerunner of Yeshua the Saviour
of the world! He was a man who rose from a lowly shepherd
boy to rule the mightiest empire of the ancient world - Egypt!
We can trace no blemish, no laziness, no dishonesty,
no foolishness, no pride, no malice, no sexual malpractice and no lack of love in
Joseph's record. In an age given over to sexual licence,
pride, greed and hate, as was ancient Egypt, Joseph's example
shines forth with amazing brilliance. Young and old should
remember that they can be true to Yahweh and keep His commandments
- anywhere!

In the sheepfold,

In a servant's post or slave pen.

In the prison dungeon

In high office. In fact, anywhere & in any condition!

What's more the Holy Spirit can be with us - and in us - amid
all these circumstances. Said Pharaoh:

'Can we find a
man such as this, in whom is the Spirit of God?'

Are you a fruitful branch on the spiritual vine of Yeshua?
Are you, like Joseph, honest, hard working, loving and pure?
Do you endeavour to save life by sharing the spiritual bounties
Yahweh has freely given you?

8. JOSEPH'S BLESSING

Gen.49:22

Joseph is a fruitful bough, even a fruitful bough
by a well; whose branches run over the wall: 23: The archers have
sorely grieved him, and shot at him, and hated him: 24: But
his bow abode in strength, and the arms of his hands were made
strong by the hands of the mighty God of Jacob; (from thence
is the shepherd, the stone of Israel:) 25: Even by the God of
thy father, who shall help thee; and by the Almighty, who shall
bless thee with blessings of heaven above, blessings of the
deep that lieth under, blessings of the breasts, and of the womb:26: The blessings of thy father have prevailed above the blessings
of my progenitors unto the utmost bound of the everlasting hills:
they shall be on the head of Joseph, and on the crown of the head
of him that was separate from his brethren.

9. JOSEPH'S SECRETJoseph's secret of success was that the LORD was with him.
In all his experiences we have these words repeated
'the LORD was with Him.'

Gen.39:2

And the LORD was with Joseph, and he was
a prosperous man

verse 21

But the LORD was with Joseph,
and shewed him mercy, and gave him favour in the sight of
the keeper of the prison. 22: And the keeper of the prison committed
to Joseph's hand all the prisoners that were in the prison;
and whatsoever they did there, he was the doer of it.

Joseph's obedience and pure life ensured Yahweh's presence. And
it was Yahweh's presence which was the secret of Joseph's success.
Every true believer has exactly the same opportunities for success
as Joseph had. I repeat: Faith and Obedience ensure Yahweh's
presence; and it is Yahweh's presence in a believer's life which ensures success in every
field. That was the secret of Joseph's success. It can be
yours.